Google could be working on a Galaxy Fold-style foldable smartphone

• The Android maker could have multiple foldable smartphones in the works.
  
• So far, documents have reportedly revealed two foldable Pixel phones – Jumbojack and Passport.
  
• It’s not clear yet if Google is merely testing these prototypes or if it actually intends on launching them commercially.
  

Google is reportedly working on a Galaxy Fold-style foldable smartphone, according to code found in the upcoming Android 12.1 update. The mentions of the Pixel foldable phone, codenamed ‘Jumbojack’, were found in the mid-cycle Android 12.1 update by 9to5Google.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time that Google has been reported to work on a foldable smartphone. Earlier last year, mentions of a Pixel phone codenamed ‘Passport’ were found in leaked documents, hinting at the first foldable smartphone under the Pixel brand name.

Android 12.1 is likely to be a mid-cycle update to Android 12, which is all set to launch in the coming weeks. The report points to an unnamed source and states that it has corroborated the mentions of ‘Jumbojack’ in documents which also mention the other Pixel foldable phone, ‘Passport’.

While the code doesn’t actually specify what kind of a foldable phone Jumbojack is, it mentions the ‘posture’ of the device – as in, whether it is half-opened, flipped, open or closed.

The report further adds that Jumbojack could feature two displays, with the inner display becoming unavailable when the phone is closed. This could be similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung’s latest foldable smartphone. However, the ‘flipped’ posture also suggests that the design could be similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 3, but we will have to wait for more details to emerge.

Is the age of foldables finally upon us?

While foldable smartphones are still a niche product line, they’re seeing increasing adoption across the board. Samsung has revealed that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 sales have outpaced sales of all its previous foldable phones put together.

Motorola, too, had announced a foldable smartphone last year, resuscitating the Razr brand name. Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi also dipped its toes in the foldable phone category with the Mi Mix Fold. Oppo showed off its foldable phone concept with the X 2021.

That said, Samsung is the only mainstream smartphone maker to make a wide rollout of foldable phones. The launch of a Pixel foldable phone could give the push that other Android smartphone makers need to finally take foldable phones mainstream.

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